The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has frozen two properties belonging to Jane Waigwe Kimani, the wife of former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria.
The High Court on Thursday, December 15, allowed the Commission to freeze the property pending the determination of a suit in which the graft watchdog is seeking to recover Ksh542,610,615 from Mwangi wa Iria.
The frozen properties are located in Umoja, Nairobi and Mweiga, Nyeri County, and are both valued at Ksh 16,300,00.
EACC is convinced that in the period between 2013 and 2017, Mwangi wa Iria used his position as Murang’a governor to irregularly award tenders amounting to over Ksh.500 million to Top Image Media Consultants.
The corruption watchdog avers that Wa Iria and his wife were directly linked to Top Image Media, and they benefited from the amount paid by the county to the company
“Top Image Media Consultants had been solely awarded media buying tenders worth Ksh.542,610,615 out of all companies prequalified between financial years 2013/2014 and 2016/2017,” reads court documents.
“The investigation revealed that the Director of Top Image Media Consultants Limited, Jane Wanjiru Mbuthia, was a close associate of the Governor of Muranga County. Consequently, the Governor and his wife benefitted directly from the contract amounts paid to Top Image Media Consultants Limited.”
EACC says it established that the Director of Top Image Media Consultants transferred part of the funds to the Governor and his wife.
EACC adds that Value View Limited, a company belonging to Wa Iria’s wife, also received part of the alleged loot.
Top image also allegedly made a payment of Ksh.500,000 to the Mwangi Wa Iria Foundation, which is co-owned by the Governor and his wife.
“Cumulatively, the Governor and his wife received in excess of Ksh28,000,000 from funds that had been paid by the County Government,” EACC stated.
The commission adds that Top Image Media Consultants and its Director also made payments for loans on behalf of the Governor as well as flight expenses and hotel accommodation costs.
Top Media also allegedly purchased the earlier mentioned parcels of land at Umoja Innercore valued at Ksh7.5 Million and Mweiga Thungare/Block II/Therange Parcel Number 762 valued at Ksh8.8 million.
“EACC is in court seeking to recover the entire contract sum of Ksh542,610,615 paid to Top Image Media Consultants Limited for having been paid out of an illegal contract tainted with procurement irregularities and conflict of interest,” the court papers read.
“The Commission also seeks to recover a deposit of Ksh9.5 million that had been paid to Mlima Kenya Holiday Homes to purchase holiday homes for the Governor’s wife Jane Waigwe Kimani and Jane Wanjiru Mbuthia, Director of Top Image Media Consultants.”
